Comments on: Legislative Dems Were Given Ammo To Fire At ACHD

By: Cynic

Cynic — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 11:08:06 +0000

Bieter is definitely (NAME CALLING DELETED) Bad combination, bad for Boise

By: Will W

Will W — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 00:56:19 +0000

Can anyone be so dumb as to believe a written document, even in the form of an email, will not likely be made public. ACHD is doing a darn good job and Mayor Bieter needs to leave them alone and let them take care of roads and bridges for all Ada County and not just his personal pet projects.

By: Clancy

Clancy — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 06:35:24 +0000

This conversation reminds of this great excerpt from a prior BG story.
“The Boise gorilla fights with everyone, but ALWAYS with the motherly Ada County Highway District gorilla. The ACHD and Boise gorillas have a common law marriage, but dad cheats on her and threatens divorce each election season. The ACHD gorilla still washes his clothes and prepares his meals, but the spark has faded from their relationship.”

https://boiseguardian.com/2006/03/21/evolution-humans-to-monkeys-chimps-gorillas/

By: Mame

Mame — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 16:44:46 +0000

Speaking of goose poop, other day I went for a walk in Morrison Park. The honkers were around the area closest to the duck/honker pond, but as I got further along I saw that the vast expanse of Morrison Park was clear of honkers all the way to the other end that borders on Lusk or whatever the street name is. I saw one guy with his retriever out there but no geese to chase that day. Walkers’ heaven. The poop on the paved walks was down too. Thanks to whomever allowed dogs free running range in that park.

By: Snoop

Snoop — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 06:52:44 +0000

The sad part is this is only the crap that makes its way to the surface. How many other things go in Boise that we don’t hear about? How many other Bieter agendas make it out there without the support of the council? I don’t think it is so much that this act alone is the end of the world, but if they are doing it at this level, how many other levels of government are they doing this at? I am very dissapointed in Boise and the way they handle themselves. Makes that mysterious phone call that went out during the Winder/Beiter race look all the more suspicious of its orgin.

I am starting to see a trend in local politics here unfortunately. Just like the county hiring a chief of staff the day the bozos took office. That process usually takes weeks to vet all the candidates. Still surprised that one has slid under the rug as much as it has.

By: dog

dog — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 04:50:09 +0000

Same old story of the pot calling the kettle black. This is news? Can’t we get more free doughnuts and cops stories from BG? Or, Cops vs Firemen, or goose poop vs pedestrians, Baker vs Beiter ((oops, did that), cockaroach vs politician…..

By: Eastern

Eastern — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 00:08:05 +0000

Rebecca,
What was “deceptive” about the Boise letter?

You make a point about the “assistants” for Boise but say nothing about the many Public Information Officers for the ACHD? When was the last time the Director actually talked to the public via media or a public meeting? Commissioners? Forget about it, unless they are complaining about the City of Boise. At least Cmr. Baker had a blog some time ago, and was active on it much to dismay of one her collegues. Quote from her blog: “And then there are others like one ACHD Commissioner who has scolded me for being irresponsible in reporting on what happens at public meetings. See ACHD doesn’t tape public meetings that occur before and after the main Commission meeting held at the dais in front of TVTV. When I’ve brought up that a lot of direction is given at these pre and post meetings and that they should be taped, this same Commissioner doesn’t want to do that.”

Who is being heavy-handed, Rebecca?

Occasionally we see the mayor on TV and every citizen can recognize him if they see him on the street, they can approach him. The same cannot be said for ACHD. Email them with a simple question and a citizen is forced to submit a FOIA request. That is the PIO response. 1st hand experience here, Rebecca.

“ACHD keeping the tax the same”- The tax base (house values) has gone down. ACHD keeps the dollars “the same” and says the property tax “is the same”– who is being deceptive now? You are IMO.

“Heavy-handed”? I’m starting to laugh here given the ACHD record. Isn’t that why the Commissioners ran for office in the fist place- ACHD got heavy handed with them and their solution was to be on the Board- Baker for one.

It’s funny that politicos fall back to the ‘you must have a personal beef’ with ___ (that govt agency)…
‘Gee you must have a personal beef with Congress!’
See how ridiculous that sounds, Rebecca?
And the other ACHD excuse is, “well you weren’t at the public hearing about that…”

By: Bob

Bob — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 23:09:26 +0000

Sabotage? Ambush? Conspiring? Come on Guardian, your choice of words is obviously meant to incite outrage. To me, this is no big deal. So stop making a mountain out of a molehill.

EDITOR NOTE–C’mon Bob! You forgot “clandestine.” I wanted to work in “covert,” but couldn’t do it without repeating myself.

Why don’t you poll the council and see how many of them a) knew of the plan, b) approved or support it, c) would like to see it done again.

It was a unilateral act that didn’t represent the will of the elected body, let alone the citizens of Boise.

By: StantheMan

StantheMan — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 22:54:53 +0000

While not handled well, this certainly doesn’t rise to the level of demanding resignations. Rebecca sounds a little too invested for me. ACHD commissioner or employee perhaps?
As far as unresponsive and bureaucratic, none rises further to the top than ACHD. Only agency like it in the U.S. They are judge and jury. The experiment was a noble one, but time for it to go.

By: db

db — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 22:50:27 +0000

After seeing this e-mail and the original document (in your Feb. 23 post), I’m just laughing that this situation is labeled as an “ambush”, a “sabotage attempt”, and a “Valentine’s Day Massacre” (your words). Kinda hyperbolic language for a territorial feud that is decades old, innit? So much war imagery — are we on a Military Channel kick?

Your stories fail to mention whether the legislators had requested talking points for their meeting. Also unreported is whether or not the ACHD presentation would include some shots at the city, in which case the city felt compelled to put their side of the story out there.

I’m not saying either of those were the case; I’m saying what you’ve chosen to publish (one e-mail out of “numerous documents”?) has not ruled out any possibilities.

Thankfully, I have a full weekend to contemplate what “somewhat clandestine” really amounts to.

EDITOR NOTE–Glad we could offer some intellectual stimulation over the weekend. Nice that you caught all the “Discussion Points.” It would sure be peaceful if we could go back to the “non-partisan” seats for city offices. TV ignored the story and hit the big story of Dave Bieter walking 150 miles in the year.